Illuminating device for handbags



June 9, 1942. R. A. Moss 2,285,454

ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR HANDBAGS Filed Nov. 6, 1959 /6 30597? #4. flfoss,

INVENTOR BY az mr.

ATTORNEYS WITNESS Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR HANDBAGS Robert A. Moss, Cheyenne, Wyo. Application November 6, 1939, Serial No. 303,145

1 Claim.

This invention relates to illuminating devices, and its general object is to provide a device in the form of a flashlight that can be applied to a hand bag. purse or, the like, for illuminating the interior thereof, and is rendered active upon opening of the bag and inactive when closing the same, thus eliminating the necessity of manually operating the switch, in that the switch is normally held open by the engagement of a wall of the bag therewith, and closes when the pressure of the wall is relieved therefrom.

A further object is to provide an illuminating device that is designed to be movably mounted within a hand bag or the like so that the rays of light can be directed exteriorly of the bag for illuminating objects remote therefrom when the bag is open. I

Another object is/to provide an illuminating device as and for the purpose set forth. that is simple in construction, easy to install, inexpensive to manufacture, and efilcient in operation use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or correand in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my device applied within a hand bag of the purse type.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the bag with the latter closed, and illustrates my device in end elevation.

Figure 3 is a similar view with the bag in open position, with my device swung from its normal position to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the battery casing of my device. with the battery and switch parts in elevation.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of Figure 4, with the battery removed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted as previously indicated, that I have illustrated my illuminating device as being applied to and within a lady's hand bag of the purse type, but it can be used with any type of bag, satchel or other luggage that includes walls .sponding parts'throughout the several views,

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movable toward and away from each other when closing and opening the same for the purpose of one of the walls to operate the switch, as best shown in Figure 4. The bag shown is of the well known type which includes a frame A provided with hinged sections for the mouth thereof and the frame which has the body B secured thereto is of course held in closed position by any suitable means, not shown, such as snap or slide fasteners.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the bag forms no part of my invention which lies solely in the illuminating device that includes a hollow cylindrical battery casing I having a threaded open end 2 closed by a cap 3, the latter having a coil spring 4 secured thereto for engagement with the battery 5 to urge the central electrode thereof in contacting engagement with a conductor of the switch means to be presently described.

The opposite end of the casing is closed by a wall 6 from which extends a conduit I disposed longitudinally of the cylindrical wall of the casing for a portion of its length, and thence extends into an arcuate portion 8 circumlerentially disposed with respect to the cylindrical wall, as best shown in Figure 5. Secured with- I in the outer end of the arcuate portion 8 of the conduit is a threaded socket 9 for threadedly receiving the shank of a lamp bulb I 0.

The wall 6 has secured thereto a disk ll of insulating material and which has one end of a strip conductor I2 secured thereto, for disposal along the diameter of the disk and thence within the longitudinal portion of the conduit. as clearly shown in Figure 4. The conductor I2 is formed to provide an arcuate portion l3 disposed in the path of the central electrode of the battery, and has fixed to that portion thereof within the longitudinal portion of the conduit, the shank of an elongated push button I! that extends through an opening IS in the conduit to be arranged in the path of a wall of the bag, as best shown in Figure 4. Mounted within the arcuate portion of the conduit is a strip conductor 16 that is fixed to and insulated therefrom by a block iii of insulating material, for disposal of one end of the conductor I It in the space between the casing l and the socket 9 to be engaged by the central contact element of the lamp bulb, while its opposite end is arranged in the path of the free end of the strip conductor I! which of course is made from resilient material, so as to be normally urged in contact with the conductor l6,

bulb, that the latter is normally arranged in depending relation, as clearly shown in Figure 2, so as to completely illuminate the interior of the bag, but when objects remote from the bag are to be illuminated, the device is moved or swung on its pivots to the position of Figure 3.

I likewise preferably provide a mirror 20 mounted within a frame 2| having strips 22 secured thereto, with trunnions on the strips and disposed within eyes 23 formed on the collars, for the disposal of the mirror in depending relation with respect to the casing.

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it will be obvious that when the bag is closed as shown in Figure 2, the pressure of one wall of the body against the battery casing and the pressure of the other wall against the push button will retain the contact end of the strip conductor l2 spaced from the contact end of the strip conductor It, thus normally retaining the circuit to the lamp bulb open, but when the bag is I moved to the open position of Figure 3, the pressure of the walls is relieved and the conductor l2 due to its inherent resiliency moves into contact with the conductor It for closing the circuit to the lamp bulb, therefore it will be seen that the device is rendered active and inactive merely by opening and closing the bag.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the tion will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may 1 made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

An illuminating device for a hand bag or the like, comprising a cylindrical casing, a spring pressed battery removably mounted within the casing, a resilient strip conductor within and insulated from the casing and electrically engaged by the battery, a conduit formed on the casing and including a portion extending longitudinally from one end thereof and an arcuate portion extending circumferentially'of the casing substantially midway its ends, 'said conductor being fixed to said end of the casing and arranged substantially along the diameter of said end and invenbeing bent substantially at right angles for disposal of a free portion of the conductor within the longitudinally extending portion of the conduit, a lamp bulb mounted in the arcuate portion, a second resilient strip conductor electrically engaged by the lamp bulb and being curved and arranged in the arcuate portion for disposal in the path of said free portion of the first conductor to be engaged thereby for closing a circuit to the Lamp bulb, a push button carried by said free portion, and means for suspending the casing within the hand bag for the walls of the latter to engage the casing and the push button respectively to hold the first conductor out of contact with the second conductor forretaining the circuit open when the bag is closed and to allow the first conductor to contact the second conductor for closing the circuit when the bag is open.

ROBERT A. MOSS. 

